News

Jan 13, 2026

High Court to hear dispute over whether land earmarked for Wimbledon expansion is protected by statutory trust

The High Court will this week hear an application from the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) for a ruling on whether the former Wimbledon Park golf course land is subject to a public recreation trust.

Jan 13, 2026

Government publishes two more streamlined routes under Subsidy Control Act 2022

The Department for Business and Trade has published streamlined routes under the Subsidy Control Act 2022 relating to 'community and regeneration' and 'arts and culture'.

Jan 13, 2026

Couple threaten City of London Corporation with legal action over park cafés transfer

A couple who run two of four independent cafés around Hampstead Heath that are due to be taken over by a chain are preparing a legal challenge against the City of London Corporation.

Jan 13, 2026

Lawyers need more guidance on use of AI, Law Society tells Government

Lawyers need to be given "clear, practical guidance" on the existing rules around the use of AI, the Law Society has urged in a response to Government plans to introduce a regulatory 'sandbox' for AI products.

Jan 13, 2026

Headteachers union mulls “potential legal action” over formal warning notices sent by council to schools with overspends

The National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) Cymru is reportedly considering legal action after the Vale of Glamorgan Council issued formal legal warning notices to seven headteachers over their school deficits.

Jan 12, 2026

Ombudsman launches new AI assistant for complainants

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has launched a new AI- powered assistant that can assist prospective complainants on how to make a complaint and what the Ombudsman can and cannot look at.

Jan 12, 2026

High Court unable to establish habitual residence in care case affected by “fog of obscurity"

The High Court has found it was not possible to establish the habitual residence of two of three children in a care proceedings case where “the factual landscape remains obscured in fog”.

Jan 12, 2026

City council rebukes parish for "unprecedented volume" of standards complaints

A parish council responsible for an "unprecedented volume" of standards complaints has been asked to contribute to the costs of standards investigations.

Jan 12, 2026

Select committee calls for ‘Parliament first’ reset on policy announcements

The Government should either comply with the Ministerial Code regarding policy announcements or rewrite it, a cross-party Parliamentary committee has said amid a trend in ministers briefing the press before Parliament on major policy changes.

Jan 12, 2026

County appoints six law firms to £2.25m framework advising insurance team on claims service

Norfolk County Council has appointed six law firms to provide legal services to its in-house insurance team to predominately help support the delivery of its claims service.

Jan 12, 2026

Campaign group launches ‘Dear Prime Minister’ video urging Government to safeguard SEND legal rights ahead of Schools White Paper

A group campaigning to protect the legal rights of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has today (12 January) launched a video urging the Government to safeguard SEND legal rights ahead of the upcoming Schools White Paper.

Jan 12, 2026

Welsh Government introduces draft Bill after Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales stops medical members without current licence to practise from sitting on cases

The President of the Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales (MHRTW) has decided to stop medical members without a current licence to practise from sitting on cases, which could put the tribunal’s ability to meet its statutory timeframes for hearings at “considerable risk”, Counsel General Julie…

Jan 12, 2026

High Court quashes decision that homeless application was not fresh application

The High Court has quashed a council's refusal to accept a fresh homelessness application from a vulnerable applicant.

Jan 09, 2026

Government and ICO agree memorandum of understanding in bid to shore-up data protection approach

The Government and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) have signed a memorandum of understanding, setting “clear expectations” on data protection amid the Government's ambitions to use technology to transform public services.

Jan 09, 2026

Government falling short on environmental targets while regulator grapple with constraints of regulatory and legislative framework, spending watchdog warns

The Government is on course to meet fewer than a quarter of its environmental targets, according to a National Audit Office (NAO) report that has raised concerns about outdated IT systems, a "reactive" regulatory approach, and a lack of strategic direction at Defra.

Jan 09, 2026

Government to introduce inspection of multi-academy trusts through amendment to Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

The Department for Education has this week announced plans to bring multi academy trusts into the inspection system, through an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

Jan 09, 2026

Councils see “massive” jump in pothole claims, but vast majority fail, new data shows

Pothole compensation claims submitted to 177 local authorities have risen by 91% in just three years, from 27,731 in 2021 to 53,015 in 2024, new data has revealed.

Jan 08, 2026

Government consults on transferring taxi and PHV licensing to local transport authorities in England

The Government has announced plans to transfer the responsibility for taxi and PHV licensing from district councils and metropolitan councils to Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) in England as part of an effort to curb 'out-of-area' working.

Jan 08, 2026

Councils to be given powers to keep cars from parking on pavements

Councils will be given the power to crack down on problem pavement parking in order to improve accessibility for wheelchair users and blind or partially sighted people, the Government has announced.

Jan 08, 2026

Government defends use of powers to cancel local elections

The Government has defended its use of the power to cancel local elections, arguing that the powers in this area are set out in legislation made by Parliament and “used only with strong justification”.

Jan 08, 2026

Law firm report urges council to focus on data and reporting as it has “some way to go” following C4 grading of housing services

Newham Council has made improvements but still has “some way to go” to fix its housing service after its C4 grading from the Regulator of Social Housing in October 2024, an investigation by law firm Capsticks has concluded.

Jan 07, 2026

NHS Shared Business Services to hold preliminary market engagement for £240m framework agreement

NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) has issued a preliminary market engagement notice for a “fit-for-the-future” legal services framework agreement, worth an estimated £240m, for use by the NHS and the wider public sector.

Jan 07, 2026

LGPS Advisory Board warns Government proposals could “cut across” fiduciary duties

Plans to give ministers powers to force LGPS funds into specific pools could “cut across” the fund’s fiduciary duties, the LGPS Advisory Board has said.

Jan 07, 2026

Mayors and councillors should have access to Local Government Pensions Scheme, LGA says

The Local Government Association (LGA) has voiced support for plans to give councillors access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), but has called for clarity in the draft regulations on which authority types are included in the changes.

Jan 07, 2026

Government to back new public services cyber security plan with £210m in funding

The Government has announced plans to "rapidly improve" cyber defences and digital resilience across government departments and the wider public sector, in an effort to tackle cyber security threats.

Jan 07, 2026

Landlord who ignored selective licensing scheme banned from operating

The First Tier Property Tribunal has banned a man from operating as a landlord or managing agent at a lettings agency for more than a year following a case brought by Durham County Council.

Jan 06, 2026

Child was habitually resident in England and Wales at one day old, High Court rules

A child who was born in England to a Romanian national and has three older siblings in the care of authorities in Austria was habitually resident in England at one day of age, the High Court has ruled.

Jan 06, 2026

Council secures £145k proceeds of crime order against man who defrauded own mother

A man who defrauded his elderly mother while she was residing in a care home has been ordered to pay £145,000 following a proceeds of crime application by a local authority shared service.

Jan 06, 2026

Reform to ‘call in’ approach to large housing developments “undermines” local democracy: District Council

Plans to require councils to inform the Government before refusing planning applications for large housing developments "undermine” local decision making and local democracy, Braintree District Council has warned.

Jan 06, 2026

Residents crowd fund judicial review over controversial Chinese embassy planning application

Local campaigners are threatening the Government with a judicial review challenge over the "flawed" planning process behind a much-anticipated decision on China's application for a 'mega embassy'.

Jan 05, 2026

Government NSIP solar farm approval facing judicial review threat

Residents are raising funds to launch a judicial review challenge against the Government's decision to approve a major solar farm in North Yorkshire.

Jan 05, 2026

Local authority was right to apply to court regarding Do Not Resuscitate notice, High Court finds

The High Court has found that a local authority was right to apply to invoke the High Court’s inherent jurisdiction to determine “whether or not the Local Authority are in agreement with the Do Not Resuscitate Notice continuing” in relation to an infant boy.

Jan 05, 2026

Borough council calls for “urgent” reforms to national housing target system

Waverley Borough Council has urged the Government to rethink its new housing targets, describing them as "unrealistic and unsustainable".

Jan 05, 2026

Council must reconsider cat fouling complaint after High Court ruling

A council decision to reject a man's complaint regarding his neighbour's cats fouling in his garden "cannot stand" and should be redetermined, the High Court has ruled.

Jan 02, 2026

High Court rejects appeal over injury sustained when climbing over perimeter fence of school playing fields

The High Court has rejected an appeal over an injury sustained by the claimant when climbing over a perimeter fence to retrieve a football, finding that the owners of the premises owed the appellant “no duty” under the Occupiers Liability Act 1957.

Jan 02, 2026

Council admits error after approving planning application from councillor under delegated powers

Somerset Council is set to reconsider a councillor-submitted planning application after mistakenly approving it under delegated powers.

Dec 29, 2025

Union says it will launch equal pay claims against five more councils after reaching £1bn in settlements

The GMB union has said it is about to launch 10,000 equal pay claims against five more local authorities.

Dec 29, 2025

Top Midlands social landlord to procure £20m legal services framework

One of the UK’s largest social landlords, Platform Housing, has launched the procurement of its next legal services framework, which is estimated to be worth £20m.

Dec 23, 2025

Communities Secretary warns councils not to adopt a four-day working week

Communities Secretary Steve Reed has reportedly said councils should not be offering “full-time pay for part-time work”, noting in a letter to local authorities this month that the Best Value Guidance is being updated by the Government.

Dec 23, 2025

Pathfinder Legal names joint chief executives following retirement of Andrew Shufflebotham

Pathfinder Legal, the shared legal service owned by Cambridgeshire County Council and Central Bedfordshire Council, has appointed joint chief executives.

Dec 23, 2025

Calls made for simplified route for social housing providers to gain access to properties for essential maintenance and safety checks

Social housing providers are “increasingly concerned” that they will attract regulatory or legal action if they fail to gain necessary access to their properties, a report has warned.

Dec 22, 2025

Pilot tackling poor quality housing expanded to further 38 local authorities in England

The Government has this month (20 December) announced the expansion of a trial to tackle poor quality housing following “successful results” in three council areas.

Dec 22, 2025

High Court orders interim relief against council as maker of impugned age assessment decision

The High Court has ordered interim relief against Derby City Council as the maker of a decision to assess an asylum seeker to be an adult and to decline to provide services pursuant to the Children Act 1989.

Dec 22, 2025

High Court rejects challenge to transfer of ownership of care homes to private provider

The High Court has rejected a legal challenge against a decision by a council to transfer the ownership of two specialist dementia care homes to a private provider.

Dec 19, 2025

Campaigners fundraise for judicial review over council “failure” to process application for nomination of activities garden centre as asset of community value

A campaign group is fundraising for a judicial review against Hillingdon Council over its failure to process an application to nominate a community hub for adults with learning disabilities as an ‘Asset of Community Value’.